Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Book to Movie adaptations

22Feb

It’s Tuesday and that means it’s time for another Tuesday Top Ten over at The Broke and the Bookish! This week is the Top Ten Book to Movie adaptations for all of those movie adaptations that didn’t completely destroy the author’s work. However, I feel there are some book to movie adaptations that may not stay completely true to the book but are still worthy cinematic adventures!

1. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
I adored this movie so much that I bought it the day it releases on DVD and I’m pretty sure I’ve watched it at least two or three times a year since then. Neil Gaiman’s characters came to life on the screen and it was simply two hours of pure enjoyment. Also, it’s hard to not love Robert de Niro as a gay “space” pirate.

2. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Vivan Leigh and Clark Gable are the only Scarlett and Rhett I will ever be able to picture. They brought the characters to life in a way that held audience’s spellbound throughout the entire movie.

3. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
This is one of my favorite movies and as a result I adore the book as well. The movie follows the book truly and he characters are just as likable in print as they are in flesh and blood. Wesley and Buttercup’s love story of the poor farm boy and the young maiden is one of my favorite’s in any genre.

4. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
In this I am referring Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 adaptation of the play for film. Branagh is a fantastic Hamlet and Kate Winslet makes for a wonderfully depressed Ophelia. The casting in this movie overall is pitch perfect and they do the play more justice than you would almost expect. It’s significantly better than the version where they tapped Mel Gibson to play Hamlet *shudder*

5. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
If you’ve never read this story, I highly recommend it as it is my favorite Mark Twain story. I remember watching the movie when I was home sick in elementary school and when I was a bit older my mom bought me the book to read. The movie stars Bing Crosby as Hank Martin, the young man who finds himself whisked away to Camelot. And really, how can you dislike a movie where Bing Crosby plays the lead?

6. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
I’m a sucker for animated movies and this one did not disappoint me. It would be hard to disappoint when the cast includes Dustin Hoffman, Robbie Coltrane, Christopher Lloyd, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Kline and William H. Macy. I enjoyed this movie thoroughly and though it did the book decent justice.

7. I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
Sure, there were tweaks to the plot to make the movie fit neater into it’s time run. However, I think the movie had great casting in both Henri and Number Six as well as some killer alien fight scenes. Also, how can you not immediately fall in love with little Bernie Kosar?

8. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
I know there are so many people out there who criticize these movies for not following the books. All I have to say is that J.K Rowling herself signs off on every aspect of the script and movie. And if she thinks the movies bring her books to life in a worthy way, than so do I. Who am I to judge her view of her story and her characters?

9. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
In this i refer specifically to the 1949 adaptation starring June Allyson, Elizabeth Taylor, Margaret O’Brien and Janet Leigh. This movie version of the book is by far my favorite and I think it is the most true to the original story. I can’t help but picture these actresses every time I read the book.

I’m cheating for number 10. Here are two book to movie adaptations that I can’t wait to see and I sincerely hope that the original work is not ruined by the cinematic version.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
This book is a cross between a middle grades novel and a graphic novel. The illustrations are incredible and the story about a orphaned boy set in Paris is both touching and thrilling. The movie, directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Christopher Lee, Ben Kingsley and Jude Law debuts this summer. With a cast like that I expect to not be let down.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
This movie is barely into pre-production and there are rumors swirling everywhere about casting. All I ask is that they stick to the role and description of the characters rather than going for who is hot in hollywood now.

3 responses to “Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Book to Movie adaptations”

I’m really curious to see how The Hunger Games movie turns out. The last big film adaptation that meant anything to me was the Harry Potter series, and they did such a good job there that I’m worried about being disappointed. Fingers crossed that they don’t change things for the sake of including popular celebrities!

This is a good list. I had forgotten about Little Women, too, and I just bought it for my daughter for xmas. I’ve also seen more than one person choose Stardust–I’ll have to put that on my NetFlix list.

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0 Stars: Didn't even finish. Not worth reading in my opinion.1 Star: Didn't particularly like the book, felt like a chore to continue reading through to the end2 Stars: There was something missing in this book. Nothing managed to reach and grab me.3 Stars: This book was good, but it wasn't a standout novel. I would recommend it.4 Stars: This book was simply delightful and a joy to read. I'd absolutely recommend it to others5 Stars: This was a standout book that I could barely put down. A definitely read for others!5+ Stars: A new favorite! Everyone should read this!